The World Tsunami Awareness Day 2020 (WTAD), organized by the UNDRR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction), focuses on the target "e" of the Sendai Protocol which aims to increase disaster risk reduction strategies at national, community and local level to save lives in case of disaster.
The Mediterranean coasts are also affected by this risk, due to the high seismicity and the presence of numerous active, emerged and submerged volcanoes.
By 2030, 50% of the world's population is expected to live in coastal areas exposed to floods, storms and tsunamis.
Having plans and policies to reduce the impact of tsunamis will contribute to building resilience and protecting populations at risk.
The Civil Protection Department, ISPRA and the INGV Tsunami Alert Centre participated in the webinar of November 4, dedicated to the Mediterranean countries (NEAM), together with Turkey, Greece, Israel and Spain, intervening in the panel dedicated to the national overview and progress in tsunami preparedness and mitigation strategies, implemented at national level. In particular, a strong attention was paid to the technical-operational aspects and the legal framework that characterizes the application of the Tsunami Ready program to the coastal communities of the NEAM countries.
A video has been realized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in which the SiAM (the National Alerting System for Earthquake-induced tsunamis), composed by DPC, INGV and ISPRA, focuses on the "last-mile" activities in progress in Italy, in particular those related to the Tsunami Ready initiative. Tsunami risk can be greatly reduced by increasing the knowledge and awareness of local authorities and citizens.